A Little Too Late
by Glued To The Keyboard
Summary: Carly kept all these feelings about Freddie bottled up for years. When she finally admits them, is she a little too late? Oneshot


_Random one-shot thingy.. I was looking through all these old music files, and I found that song by JoJo, 'Too little too late', and inspiration struck._

_Though, JoJo's song has nothing to do with this fic. I just stole some of the song to make the title : )_

_I can't seem to stop writing iCarly.. I said I'd stop about three fic's ago? But, you know, reviews are love!_

_Disclaimer- However amazing ( ? ) I might be, I don't own iCarly. All that credit goes to Dan Schneider, who's name I can't spell._

.xxx.

Carly took for granted very few things her life. Her family, friends, great life.. They were all things she treasured.

She had always taken Freddie Benson, the boy next door's love for granted though.

Carly has always assumed he would be there, waiting, when she finally told him how she felt. She wasn't going to make him wait forever- just until she sorted how her feelings.

Dated around a bit.

If she was dating Freddie, she knew she would have a nice, caring, _secure_ boyfriend.

One thing she hadn't though of was Freddie growing up and out of his childhood crush on Carly.

.x.

Carly swung around to face the front door of her apartment as soon as he heard Freddie's own front door slam shut.

"Hello?" Freddie called in his comforting familiar voice.

"Come in!" Carly called, beaming.

Today was the day, the day she'd admit she had fallen for Freddie.

"S'up?" Freddie smiled, showing his perfect white teeth. "Where's Sam?"

Carly looked at him. He never looked for Sam as soon as he walked in. He usually wanted to run away from her.

"On her way," Carly replied. "Why?"

"No reason." Freddie shrugged.

Carly gave him a skeptical look. "No reason?"

Things had been.. well different between her two best friends the past few years. Ever since Carly had found out they kissed, they had been a little closer than before. More friends than frenemies. It was a bit unsettling.

"No reason." Freddie repeated, the slight tremor in his voice that always appeared when he lied giving him away.

"Freddie, I know you well enough to know when your lying." Carly sighed.

"I'm not lying." Freddie said, looking into his bowl of Jell-O and cream. Sam's idea, of course.

"Freddie, come on-" Carly began, before she was cut off by a blonde whirlwind bursting through the door.

"Hey Carls! S'up Freddork?" Sam smiled, greeting her best girl friend, and giving Freddie a massive high five.

"Mmm.. Looks nice." Sam smiled, looking at Freddie's bowl of goo.

"It is." Freddie piled his spoon high, and feed it into Sam's awaiting mouth. Sam swallowed slowly, causing Freddie's fingers to linger near her face a little longer.

Truthfully, what was going on between Sam and Freddie was painfully obvious, but Carly was too blinded by her feelings for Freddie too notice. Carly looked at her happily chattering best friends, and realized she had to act now.

She needed to have Freddie, but Sam's arrival had put a hold on that. For a second, anyway.

"Sam? D'you want to head up, and get the computer turned on? I'll get Freddie to help me with the food." Carly suggested.

Sam nodded slowly. "Fine so.."

She headed towards the stairs, her blonde curly hair swinging out behind her.

Carly turned to Freddie, and swallowing her nerves spoke.

"Can I talk to you a sec?"

Freddie nodded, spooning the blue creamy gunk into his mouth.

"Freddie," Carly began taking a deep breath. "I like you. As in a more than friend's way."

Freddie's reaction wasn't what Carly had expected. He dropped his spoon into the plastic bowl with a loud clatter, and his mouth hung ope, showing a very un-attractive mess of food.

"Thats disgusting." Carly said, visibly 'eew-ing'.

Freddie swallowed quickly. "What do you mean Carly?"

"Eating with your mouth open is-" Carly started.

"No No. About.. The other thing." Freddie couldn't bring himself to say it.

"About liking you?"

Freddie nodded, eating a little more.

"I do like you, a lot. I have for ages." Carly said gently.

"Then why didn't you tell me?"Freddie's tone was a little harsh. "All the years I pined over you, and you decied not to tell me? In fact, you completely reject me?"

Carly looked taken aback.

"I-I.. I didn't know how to."

"Didn't know how to?" Freddie laughed. "Yeah, right. You broke my heart by rejecting me, you know."

"I-I didn't mean to. I love you Freddie, I always have."

"Pity you didn't tell me a bit sooner- or did you expect me to wait?" Freddie questioned.

Carly opened and closed her mouth a few time. How could he not wait for her? She was perfect for him after all.

"You expected me to wait. Did you want me to freeze my feelings, and staying liking you till you were ready? Or were just going to date me a while, then leave me for some senior?" Freddie snorted.

"I'd never-" Carly stuttered.

"You do it to every guy you date. What makes me so different?"

"I love you." Carly whispered.

"But I don't love you. Not anymore. In fact, I love someone entirely different now." Freddie said.

"Sam."

Carly didn't know how she knew, she just.. did.

"Yeah, See, Sam understands me, she likes me for who I am. And most of all, she doesn't leave me hanging for years till she decides I'm good enough to date her."

Carly's mouth dropped open. "Its not like that Freddie."

"Isn't it? It feels like that to me."

Freddie looked at Carly, realizing how hurtful his words were. He didn't regret them however- it had to be said someday.

"Maybe if it was a few years ago- if we were fourteen again. But I want someone who truly loves me right now Carly, you'll never be that kinda girl." Freddie said quietly.

Carly blinked back tears.

"I hope you find someone-"

"You're that someone." Carly sobbed.

"No." Freddie said. "No, I'm not. Like a said, maybe when we were kids, but now? Not a hope. You're a little too late Carly."

.xxx.


End file.
